Valerio starts fast, holds on for Burbank City Amateur Championship

BURBANK — From the get-go, Bob Valerio established himself as the clubhouse leader of the three-day long Burbank City Amateur Golf Championship.

Valerio, a Hawthorne resident, began Friday’s opening round of the championship flight at De Bell Golf Club with a 66 and never looked back en route to finishing with three-round total of four-under 209 to win the title Sunday afternoon.

“I just tried not to lose a ball and didn’t do that all weekend, which was great,” said Valerio, making his second-ever appearance in the championship tournament. “I didn’t think I had won it after the first round because there was still a lot of golf to play and anything can happen.”

Valerio tied for the second-best score Sunday of one-under-70 with Tongun Lako LoSarah, the tournament runner-up, on the 18-hole, par-71, and 5,608-yard course.

Valerio’s success Sunday was tied to his quick start, as he connected on birdies on the par-five, 457-yard first hole and on the par-four, 293-yard second hole.

“That’s what got me going, those first two birdies,” Valerio said.

Valerio finished the front nine two-under and bogeyed a par-three, 181-yard 12th hole on the back nine for his only blemish of the afternoon.

Valerio entered the day with a two-shot lead over LoSarah, who was wild Sunday, but still finished with a two-under 211.

LoSarah carded five birdies, but had most of those successes offset due to two bogeys and one double bogey.

Perhaps the best example of that erratic play came on the front nine, when LoSarah birdied holes No. 3, 5 and 6, but hit a double-bogey on No. 4.

“I think I had more birdies today and throughout this tournament than anyone else,” said LoSarah, who was returning to the tournament after a one-year hiatus. “But I had some bad bogeys that really hurt me.”

Aaron Grimes shot a Sunday-best 69 and finished with a three-day total of 212, which was good for third place.

Following Grimes, Ryan Ree, Edouard Fiszel and Andy Overton all tied for fourth with a 221.

While the city of Burbank missed out on a title in the championship flight, there was certainly plenty of representation at the two-round lower flights, which began Saturday.

Burbank residents Joe Gunn, Dan Kelly, Sean Casagrande and Mericio Ortega captured wins.

Gunn won the “F” Flight as the 26-handicapper finished with a 152 in claiming his third city championship. Gunn’s friend, Kelly, also won his third title in the “E” Flight as the 22-handicapper also carded a 152.

Longtime De Bell Golf Club member Casagrande shined in his first-ever attempt in the amateur competition by winning the “D” Flight with a 140, which was adjusted for Casagrande’s 17 handicap.

Perhaps the most exciting win came in the “C” Flight, as San Marcos resident Larry Thompson held off Stan Dubois in a one-hole tie-breaker. Both finished the final 18 tied with a 143.

Maybe the most familiar face in the winner’s circle was Ortega, who clinched his second straight “B” Flight win as the 12-handicapper carded a 136.

Pasadena’s Joshua McIntyre, a seven handicap, won the final two-round “A” Flight with a score of 142 as he topped Jeramie Schulze in a playoff.